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Virtual colonoscopy (VC) is a Medical imaging procedure which uses x-rays and computers to produce two- and three-dimensional images of the colon (large intestine) from the lowest part, the rectum, all the way to the lower end of the small intestine and display them on a screen. The procedure is used to diagnose colon and bowel disease, including polyps, diverticulosis and cancer. VC can be performed with computed tomography (CT), sometimes called a CAT scan, or with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Medical imaging is the process by which physicians evaluate an area of the subjects body that is not normally visible. ...
In the NATO phonetic alphabet, X-ray represents the letter X. An X-ray picture (radiograph) taken by Röntgen An X-ray is a form of electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength approximately in the range of 5 pm to 10 nanometers (corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 PHz...
The tower of a personal computer (specifically a Power Mac G5). ...
The rewrite of this article is being devised at Talk:3D computer graphics/Temp. ...
Col n is the currency of Costa Rica (ISO 4217: CRC) and El Salvador (ISO 4217: SVC): Col (currency). ...
In anatomy of the digestive system, the colon is the part of the intestine from the cecum to the rectum. ...
The posterior aspect of the rectum exposed by removing the lower part of the sacrum and the coccyx. ...
Diagram showing the small intestine In biology the small intestine is the part of the gastrointestinal tract between the stomach and the large intestine (colon). ...
Diagnosis (from the Greek words dia = by and gnosis = knowledge) is the process of identifying a disease by its signs, symptoms and results of various diagnostic procedures. ...
Polyp of sigmoid colon as revealed by colonoscopy. ...
Diverticulosis, otherwise known as diverticular disease, is the condition of having diverticula in the large colon which are outpocketings of the colon through weaknesses in the colon wall. ...
When normal cells are damaged or old they undergo apoptosis; cancer cells, however, avoid apoptosis. ...
CAT apparatus in a hospital Computed axial tomography (CAT), computer-assisted tomography, computed tomography, CT, or body section roentgenography is the process of using digital processing to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around...
For other meanings see Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). ...
Procedure
While preparations for VC vary, the patient will usually be asked to take laxatives or other oral agents at home the day before the procedure to clear stool from the colon. A suppository is also used to cleanse the rectum of any remaining fecal matter. A laxative is a preparation used for the purpose of encouraging defecation, or the elimination of feces. ...
Feces (also spelled faeces or fæces) are the waste products from the digestive tract expelled through the anus during defecation. ...
A suppository is a medicine that is inserted either into the rectum (rectal suppository) or into the vagina (vaginal suppository) where it melts. ...
VC takes place in the radiology department of a hospital or medical center. The examination takes about 10 minutes and does not require sedatives. During the procedure, Radiology is the branch of medical science dealing with the medical use of x-ray machines or other such radiation devices. ...
A hospital today is an institution for professional health care provided by physicians and nurses. ...
A sedative is a drug that depresses the central nervous system (CNS), which causes calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, slowed breathing, slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. ...
- The patient is placed in a supine position on the examination table
- A thin tube is inserted into the rectum, so that air can be be pumped through the tube in order to inflate the colon for better viewing.
- The table moves through the scanner to produce a series of two-dimensional cross-sections along the length of the colon. A computer program puts these images together to create a three-dimensional picture that can be viewed on the video screen.
- The patient is asked to his/her breath during the scan to avoid distortion on the images.
- The scanning procedure is then repeated in a reverse position.
After the examination, the information from the scanner must be processed to create the computer picture or image. A radiologist evaluates the results to identify any abnormalities. A supine is a form in which a verb may appear in some languages. ...
A computer program (often simply called a program) is an example of computer software that prescribes the actions (computations) that are to be carried out by a computer. ...
The patient may resume normal activity after the procedure, but if abnormalities are found and the patient needs conventional colonoscopy, it may be performed the same day. Colonoscopy is the minimally invasive endoscopic examination of the large colon and the distal part of the small bowel with a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus. ...
Advantages VC is more comfortable than conventional colonoscopy for some people because it does not use a colonoscope. As a result, no sedation is needed, and the patient can return to his/her usual activities or go home after the procedure without the aid of another person. VC provides clearer, more detailed images than a conventional x-ray using a barium enema, sometimes called a lower gastrointestinal (GI) series. It also takes less time than either a conventional colonoscopy or a lower GI series. A barium enema, also called a lower gastrointestinal series, is a medical procedure used to examine and dignose problems with the human large intestines. ...
Disadvantages The radiologist cannot take tissue samples (biopsy or remove polyps during VC, so a conventional colonoscopy must be performed if abnormalities are found. Also, VC does not show as much detail as a conventional colonoscopy, so polyps smaller than 2 millimeters in diameter may not show up on the images. A biopsy (in Greek: bios = life and opsy = look/appearance) is a medical test involving the removal of cells or tissues for examination. ...
External links
Source - Adapted from public domain Virtual Colonoscopy (http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/virtualcolonoscopy/index.htm). National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
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